Christmas with the Rebolledos
by Dawnie'B
Summary: "You know the answer," Reggie said, "I wouldn't have invited her if she brought Hell to you," It started with a question and led to something more. Ikarishipping


Fanfiction was down just about all of yesterday and I ended up sleeping at 4 A.M. so I woke up around 3 P.M. my time. I'm not sure how long this will be, probably three chapters. Nothing long. Happy Late Christmas!

Credits: Rebolledo was first used as a surname by "I am Lu" in her fanfiction, "The Ash Connection."

..

They weren't friends though their relationship has improved after seeing each around Johto. She knew close to no one, he felt the same way. They've asked how much progress the other has made, and then they'd go their separate paths again. After finding out Dawn's mother would be somewhere else for Christmas, Reggie suggested she join them in Veilstone City. Zoey, Barry, and Kenny all made offers as well, but Reggie was the first. She promised to stop by their houses during the entire break, though Christmas would be spent with the Rebolledos.

She knew Reggie from her travels in Sinnoh so it wasn't entirely awkward of a situation for her. Paul was someone she was starting to get to know, though this marked the first time they've "spent" time together. And by spending time she means living under the same roof and occasionally talking; which wasn't very much yet still significantly more than how they were as they traveled Sinnoh. Dawn didn't mind, Paul was someone she had respect for. Was he a friend? That status loomed around her head.

"No Christmas tree?" Dawn asked as she came down the stairs and glanced around the living room. At this time of the year she and her mother have usually picked one out and decorated it. She shrugged, perhaps the Rebolledos decorated late.

"No," answered Paul.

Dawn shrugged, "Maybe I can help out," she offered. "I did a lot of the decorating at home,"

"We don't decorate for Christmas," Paul said.

Dawn's eyes widened in surprise, "Ohh,"

"Is that a problem?" he asked dryly.

"No, not at all," said Dawn. "Is there a reason why?"

A silence fell over them until Paul turned his back, almost snob-like in motion. "Why do you care?" he huffed.

"I was just wondering," Dawn snapped back, furrowing her eyebrow.

"Don't," he muttered as he walked outside for "training" purposes.

Dawn clenched her first, what was his problem? She felt he probably detested having her here in the first place. It wasn't his idea after all, his brother made the suggestion. She waltzed around, she had been to their home before, but she hadn't paid this much attention to the items hung on the walls. She had seen all of Reggie's old badges and plaques before; there were even some belonging to Paul. Pictures, with recent ones from the Lily of the Valley Conference were neatly framed. She noticed some seemed to have fallen off their stands. She carefully grasped them and straightened them out.

She couldn't remember seeing those particular pictures. There was a family one consisting of Reggie, Paul, a woman Dawn believed to be their mother, and a man she swore she had seen before.

"Is everything going okay?"

Dawn jumped and immediately turned around. She saw Reggie standing behind her; he immediately noticed she fixed the picture frames.

Dawn panicked, "S-Sorry, I noticed they were down so I decided to fix them," she nervously tugged at her hat. She probably appeared nosy.

"Don't worry, it's fine," he said, chuckling at her anxiety.

Dawn grinned cheekily as her cheeks heated up. Her catchphrase would have been extremely useful at this moment. As Reggie began to retreat, she took one step and stopped him, "Reggie, why don't you two decorate for Christmas?"

Reggie smiled, sadly almost, "I decorate my room and I have my own mini Christmas tree. As far as actual decorating..it's been a while," he informed as he gazed around the room.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" she said, looking through the window at Paul as she asked. He was a complete mystery to her. Any chance she could get to better understand him she'd take. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to her, his focus was directed at training with his Pokemon.

"The last time we decorated was with our mother," Reggie said. "After her death, we didn't feel the need to do so. It may have started with me, I was a lot different a few years ago," he said, chuckling light-heartedly.

Dawn nodded; she couldn't decipher the right words to say. She recalled Reggie was a trainer at first, though after a lost to Brandon, he stopped. That event seemed to shock Paul apparently. Her eyes bounced around, she couldn't quite put a finger on it, but something connected to Brandon seemed to exist somewhere in the living room.

"I don't mind decorating anymore; Paul detests it; which is why I respect his wishes, though he can't stop me from decorating my own room," Reggie said, winking at the end.

It was another puzzle solved, but at the same time a new mystery opened. Dawn concluded his mother's death had negative effects on both children, especially Paul. Her gaze softened as she looked out once more.

"Would you like hot chocolate?" Reggie offered.

Dawn nodded. Reggie then went off to make some.

..

"Have some hot chocolate, Paul," offered Reggie as Paul came in, slipping off his shoes and hanging his coat on the rack.

"No thanks," he said.

"It tastes really good," Dawn said as she brought the cup to her lips for another taste.

Paul rolled his eyes, igniting yet another infuriated look from Dawn. He did walk over, though an abrupt stop followed as his eyes darted over to the shelves. "Why is that picture up?" he interrogated.

Dawn felt a lump in her throat form. Paul seemed angry for whatever reason. She pondered if it involved the familiar man in the picture.

Reggie coughed deeply just as Paul began looking at Dawn with suspicion, "I put it up," he said.

"Why?" questioned Paul.

Reggie shrugged, "It looked odd having it down,"

Paul shook his head, "I know it was her who did it," his attention maneuvered to Dawn.

"It was me," she admitted. "I thought they fell down so I thought it would courteous of me, as a guest, to pick it back up,"

"Courteous?" Paul repeated, mockingly. "Nosy is a better fitting word,"

"If you are so against having others look at it, why can't you remove it, then?" Dawn suggested as she stood up.

"You are missing the point," Paul deadpanned, "You are a guest, Reggie's guest, not mine," he said as he glanced over at Reggie. "You have no business touching what doesn't belong to you," he said dryly.

"Paul, she's our guest, have a little more respect," chastised Reggie.

Dawn balled her fists, "What's wrong with the picture anyways? It's not like its incriminating evidence, it doesn't hold some world damaging secret. It's a nice picture of your family. You, Reggie, your mother, your father—"

Paul's eyes widened, "You know?" he interrupted with slight shakiness in his tone.

"Know what?" Dawn snarled, "All I'm saying is it's a nice picture. If my mother wasn't here anymore; I would gladly keep pictures all around the house in memory of her,"

"You told her that?" Paul said angrily.

"What's wrong if I did?" Reggie answered back.

"—So I don't get what upsets you so much over having it out," Dawn added, crossing her arms.

"Frankly it's none of your business," Paul said, "Don't run your mouth over things you won't understand,"

"How am I supposed to understand if I don't know?" Dawn argued back.

Reggie felt the tension boil. He put both arms up, commemorating that both sides should cease their arguing. He thought it would end soon; he regretted not intervening soon enough.

"You're making it sound like we're friends," Paul said under his breath. "We're not,"

Dawn pursed her lip, "I knew that already, no need to reaffirm it," she stomped away from the kitchen, "accidentally" shouldering Paul lightly in the chest.

Reggie waited for the sound of her shoes tapping on the floor to disperse before frowning. "You're overreacting,"

"Me?" Paul said, pointing at himself.

"Yes, you," repeated Reggie.

Paul groaned, "She was the one that was nosy. Asking why we didn't decorate, touching our belongings, thinking she understood—"

"She was curious, who wouldn't be?" reasoned Reggie. "She's a nice girl and it was unnecessary to take out your anger over dad on her,"

Paul erupted into a bitter chuckle, "You think that's the reason for everything? It isn't,"

"That wasn't the only picture she put up, yet that was the one you focused on," Reggie said, motioning Paul to check and see the others Dawn kindly fixed. He looked, confirming Reggie's arguments as three others were put back up.

"What I said still applies. Why would you invite her in the first place?" Paul groaned. "It's been nothing but Hell having her here,"

"She's a friend of ours," Reggie said, emphasizing that she was a friend to both of them. "Hell? Come on, Paul. I know you well enough to say that's far from the truth,"

"What is the truth?" Paul demanded to know. "She isn't my friend, I don't care about her. She's a troublesome girl, that's that,"

"You know the answer," Reggie said, "I wouldn't have invited her if she brought Hell to you,"


End file.
